A Comparison Guide
Not sure whether Lasernet or SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is the right approach for your Microsoft Dynamics 365 FSCM output management? This guide explores the key differences between the two, helping you understand what to consider when choosing the right solution for your organisation.
Lasernet, owned and developed by the Lasernet Group, and SSRS are both used to create reports and business documents from Microsoft Dynamics 365 FSCM. While both technologies can produce documents from Dynamics 365, they take different approaches to design, development, customisation and document delivery. These differences influence how your document output environment is designed, maintained and supported over time.
In this guide, August Bridge compares Lasernet and SSRS across the areas that matter when planning and managing output management in Dynamics 365 FSCM, including template design, flexibility, data integration, customisation, output formats, distribution and licensing.
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Lasernet removes the need for programming within SSRS by replacing it with an intuitive interface. Using Lasernet, we are able to design, edit, distribute and archive even the most complex of documents according to your exact equirements.
SSRS relies on Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) or SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) for report design, which is less user-friendly than working in Lasernet. It requires knowledge of SQL Server Reporting Services and report design concepts.
For organisations working with multiple currencies, sites and/or entities, templates using Lasernet offer flexibility that will scale as your organisation grows. Lasernet allows customers to update their Dynamics Environment with minimal impact on their Document Output Infrastructure. As an additional feature, users are able to preview documents within their final format.
SSRS templates are less flexible in terms of design and formatting. While SSRS supports a range of report elements, creating complex and visually appealing reports requires extensive development time and cost.
You don’t need to develop to add extra data to your report with Lasernet?
Lasernet is built into Dynamics 365, providing you with one central Azure enabled tool. Documents can be generated from FSCM by extracting data from all areas of your Dynamics configuration.
SSRS primarily relies on SQL Server data sources, which will require additional configuration to integrate with Dynamics 365 data.
Lasernet allows customers to create templates with advanced grouping, calculations and complex logic without the need for a developer.Data can be placed directly onto a design by using drag and drop functionality.
SSRS offers the potential for complex report logic and calculations through the use of SQL queries and expressions. These require extensive programming.
With Lasernet you can select from a range of output formats including HTML, Excel, Word, XML, PDF, JSON, EMF and RAW print.
You can create custom outputs dedicated to your own business needs.
SSRS primarily supports rendering reports in PDF, any other formats require further development in order to achieve the businesses desired results.
Standard SSRS does not even include a print button?
Lasernet offers pre-defined destinations that can be assigned as a direct destination or a complex flow. Advanced distribution rules are available where different formats of the same document can be sent to different recipients. Users can also perform an instant multi-resend of archived documents.
SSRS offers basic distribution capabilities but will require additional development for more advanced automation.
Using Lasernet, August Bridge can remove the need for programming within SSRS and allow you to take control of your business documents.
Available on-premise, hybrid or in the cloud, you choose which Lasernet option best suits your requirements.
SSRS is included with SQL Server licenses and does not incur additional costs for basic reporting needs. However, programming costs will be incurred to utilise it’s potential.
